Smoke and soot removal systems for additive manufacturing

ABSTRACT

An intake manifold for an additive manufacturing system includes a body defining a flow channel therein. The body includes an inlet end defining an inlet configured to intake gas and/or particles from a build area of the additive manufacturing system, and an outlet end defining an outlet that is fluidly connected to the inlet through the flow channel. The outlet is configured to be in fluid communication with an uptake manifold of the additive manufacturing system. The intake manifold also includes at least one mount extending from the outlet end of the body that is configured to rotatably mount the body to the uptake manifold.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of, and claims the benefitand priority of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/096,340 filed onApr. 12, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present disclosure relates to additive manufacturing, morespecifically to smoke and soot removal systems for additivemanufacturing.

2. Description of Related Art

Certain laser based powder bed fusion additive manufacturing systemsremove smoke and soot during the manufacturing process. Smoke isgenerated when the laser welds the powder to the previous layer. Smokegenerated can cause build quality issues including failures. Traditionalsystems only remove smoke by using an intake pipe that is disposedseveral inches away from the source of smoke generation (e.g. the buildarea).

Such conventional methods and systems have generally been consideredsatisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a needin the art for smoke and soot removal systems for additivemanufacturing. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.

SUMMARY

An intake manifold for an additive manufacturing system includes a bodydefining a flow channel therein. The body includes an inlet end definingan inlet configured to intake gas and/or particles from a build area ofthe additive manufacturing system, and an outlet end defining an outletthat is fluidly connected to the inlet through the flow channel. Theoutlet is configured to be in fluid communication with an uptakemanifold of the additive manufacturing system. The intake manifold alsoincludes at least one mount extending from the outlet end of the bodythat is configured to rotatably mount the body to the uptake manifold.

The at least one mount can include two mounts disposed at oppositelateral sides of the body. The two mounts can include a C-shapeconfigured to mount to the uptake manifold. The intake manifold caninclude pair of bearings configured to be attached to the uptakemanifold and to fit within the C-shape mounts to allow the body torotate around the uptake manifold on the bearings. In certainembodiments, the body can include a curved shape on at least a rear facethereof for indexing against a roller of the additive manufacturingsystem such that the roller can push against the rear face of the bodyto rotate the body about the uptake manifold.

The intake manifold can include one or more border inlet arms extendingfrom the inlet end and configured to border at least a portion of thebuild area to allow gas and/or particulate intake from the build area.The inlet can include a plurality of openings disposed on the inlet endand the border inlet arms. The intake manifold can include at least oneof a polymer, ceramic, or a metal or any other suitable material.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, an additivemanufacturing system can include an uptake manifold and an intakemanifold as described above rotatably connected the uptake manifold.

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subjectdisclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with thedrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosureappertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices andmethods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation,embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below withreference to certain figures, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an embodiment of an intake manifold inaccordance with this disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a perspective cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.1A;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of a system inaccordance with this disclosure, showing the intake manifold of FIG. 1Arotatably disposed on an uptake manifold;

and

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of a system inaccordance with this disclosure, showing a pair of bearings disposed onan uptake manifold.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like referencenumerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subjectdisclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and notlimitation, an illustrative view of an embodiment of an intake manifoldin accordance with the disclosure is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1 sdesignated generally by reference character 100. Other embodimentsand/or aspects of this disclosure are shown in FIGS. 1B-3. The systemsand methods described herein can be used to improve smoke and sootremoval and improve build quality of an additive manufacturing system.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-2, an intake manifold 100 for an additivemanufacturing system (e.g., system 200 as shown in FIG. 2) includes abody 101 defining a flow channel 101 a therein. The body 101 includes aninlet end 103 defining an inlet 103 a configured to intake gas and/orparticles from a build area (e.g., build area 201 as shown in FIG. 2) ofthe additive manufacturing system. The body 101 also defines an outletend 105 defining an outlet 105 a fluidly connected to the inlet 103 athrough the flow channel 101 a.

The intake manifold 100 can include at least one of a polymer, ceramic,or a metal. Any other suitable material for the intake manifold 100 iscontemplated herein.

The outlet 105 a is configured to be in fluid communication with anuptake manifold 203 of the additive manufacturing system 100 such thatthe uptake manifold can pull gas and/or particulate through the inlet103 a, through the flow channel 101 a, and out through the outlet 105 a.While not shown, it is contemplated that a seal or other flexiblechannel can be disposed between the uptake manifold 203 and the outletend 105, and/or the outlet end 105 can conform to the shape of theuptake manifold 203 such that leakage between the uptake manifold 203and the outlet end 105 is prevented.

The intake manifold 100 also includes one or more mounts 107 extendingfrom the outlet end 105 of the body 101. The mounts 107 are configuredto rotatably mount the body 101 to the uptake manifold 203.

In certain embodiments, as shown, the one or more mounts 107 can includetwo mounts 107 disposed at opposite lateral sides of the body 101. Alsoas shown, the two mounts 107 can include a C-shape configured to mountto the uptake manifold 203 (e.g., which has a pipe shape). Any othersuitable shape for the one or more mounts 107 is contemplated herein.

The intake manifold 100 can include one or more border inlet arms 111extending from the inlet end 103 and configured to border at least aportion of the build area 201 to allow gas and/or particulate intakefrom the build area 201 around at least a portion of the perimeter ofthe build area 201. In this regard, at least a portion of the arms 111can be hollow. It is contemplated that the border inlet arms 111 canextend down an entire length of the build area 201 and/or completelysurround the perimeter of the build area 201 (e.g., by forming a squareframe).

As shown, the inlet 103 a can include a plurality of openings 103 bdisposed on the inlet end 103 and/or the border inlet arms 111. Theopenings 103 b can be of a suitable size to allow soot and smoke to bedrawn through without allowing powder from the build area 201 to bepulled through. In certain embodiments, the openings 103 b can openupwardly such that gas and or particulate is pulled in from just abovethe build area 201 (e.g., such that a longitudinal direction of thechannel through the wall defining the inlet 103 a and/or the arms 111points at least partially upward). Any other suitable size and/or shapeof the openings 103 b is contemplated herein.

Referring additionally to FIG. 3, the intake manifold 100 and/or thesystem 200 can include one or more bearings 109 (e.g., a pair as shown)that are configured to be attached to the uptake manifold 203 and to fitwithin the mounts 107 to allow the body 101 to rotate around the uptakemanifold 203 on the bearings 109. For example, the bearings 109 can befirst placed on the uptake manifold 203, and then the mounts 107 can beclips to the bearings 109.

The bearings 109 can include any suitable type of bearing (e.g., nylonor other low friction material bushings, a ball bearing). It iscontemplated that the mounts 107 can rotatably mount to the uptakemanifold 203 in any other suitable manner.

In certain embodiments, the body 101 can include a curved shape on atleast a rear face 101 b thereof for indexing against a roller 205 of theadditive manufacturing system 200 such that the roller 205 can pushagainst the rear face 101 b of the body 101 to rotate the body 101 aboutthe uptake manifold 203. For example, the roller 205 can translateacross the system 200 to roll powder onto the build area 201. The roller205 can contact the rear face 101 b and lifts the intake manifold 100out of the way, allowing the roller 205 to roll over the build area 201.

As shown, the arms 111 can rest on top of the roller 205 as the roller205 traverses the build area 201. However, it is contemplated that theroller 205 can be configured to hold up an intake manifold 100 that doesnot have arms 111 (e.g., with extensions extending backward from theroller 205 to hold the intake manifold up).

As is appreciated by those skilled in the art, when the roller 205 movesout of the build area 201, the intake manifold 100 can then fall backdownward. It is contemplated that the intake manifold 100 can beelectrically and/or mechanically (e.g., via a suitable motor) operatedby a controller (e.g., a CPU) of the system 200 to raise up and lowerwithout the assistance of the roller 205.

Embodiments as described above can dramatically improve smoke removal ofthe certain additive manufacturing systems (e.g., the ProX300™ system)thereby improving part build reliability and part quality. For example,certain embodiments allow smoke to be remove from two, three, and/orfour sides of the build area 201, which can significantly improvinginerting atmosphere and build quality, as well as preventing particulateclouds

The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described aboveand shown in the drawings, provide for additive manufacturing systemsand devices with superior properties including improved gas andparticulate removal/evacuation. While the apparatus and methods of thesubject disclosure have been shown and described with reference toembodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate thatchanges and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the subject disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An intake manifold for an additive manufacturingsystem, comprising: a body defining a flow channel therein, the bodyincluding: an inlet end defining an inlet configured to intake gasand/or particles from a build area of the additive manufacturing system;and an outlet end defining an outlet that is fluidly connected to theinlet through the flow channel, the outlet configured to be in fluidcommunication with an uptake manifold of the additive manufacturingsystem; at least one mount extending from the outlet end of the body andconfigured to rotatably mount the body to the uptake manifold; and oneor more border inlet arms extending from the inlet end and configured toborder at least a portion of the build area to allow gas and/orparticulate intake from the build area.
 2. The intake manifold of claim1, wherein the inlet includes a plurality of openings disposed on theinlet end and the border inlet arms.
 3. The intake manifold of claim 1,wherein the two mounts are disposed at opposite lateral sides of thebody.
 4. The intake manifold of claim 3, wherein the two mounts includea C-shape configured to mount to the uptake manifold.
 5. The intakemanifold of claim 4, further comprising pair of bearings configured tobe attached to the uptake manifold and to fit within the C-shape mountsto allow the body to rotate around the uptake manifold on the bearings.6. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein the body includes a curvedshape on at least a rear face thereof for indexing against a roller ofthe additive manufacturing system such that the roller can push againstthe rear face of the body to rotate the body about the uptake manifold.7. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein the inlet includes aplurality of openings disposed on the inlet end and the border inletarms.
 8. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein the intake manifoldincludes at least one of a polymer, ceramic, or a metal.
 9. An additivemanufacturing system, comprising: an uptake manifold; an intake manifoldincluding a body defining a flow channel therein, the body including: aninlet end defining an inlet configured to intake gas and/or particlesfrom a build area of the additive manufacturing system; and an outletend defining an outlet that is fluidly connected to the inlet throughthe flow channel, the outlet configured to be in fluid communicationwith the uptake manifold of the additive manufacturing system; at leastone mount extending from the outlet end of the body and rotatablymounted to the uptake manifold; and one or more border inlet armsextending from the inlet end and configured to border at least a portionof the build area to allow gas and/or particulate intake from the buildarea.
 10. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9, wherein theinlet includes a plurality of openings disposed on the inlet end and theborder inlet arms.
 11. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10,wherein the two mounts are disposed at opposite lateral sides of thebody.
 12. The additive manufacturing system of claim 11, wherein the twomounts include a C-shape configured to mount to the uptake manifold. 13.The additive manufacturing system of claim 12, further comprising pairof bearings configured to be attached to the uptake manifold and to fitwithin the C-shape mounts to allow the body to rotate around the uptakemanifold on the bearings.
 14. The additive manufacturing system of claim9, wherein the body includes a curved shape on at least a rear facethereof for indexing against a roller of the additive manufacturingsystem such that the roller can push against the rear face of the bodyto rotate the body about the uptake manifold.
 15. The additivemanufacturing system of claim 9, wherein the inlet includes a pluralityof openings disposed on the inlet end and the border inlet arms.
 16. Theadditive manufacturing system of claim 9, wherein the intake manifoldincludes at least one of a polymer, ceramic, or a metal.